Los Angeles, Blues in the 21st Century - My Opinions, By Jerry Rosen

In this piece I will give some opinions and reflections on the current state of the blues in the U.S.  In a previous post I outlined my experiences with blues and these have given me somewhat of a perspective on the blues world.  The abbreviated version of my blues resume is: I have owned two (not financially successful) blues labels and have played in many blues bands, two of which did some touring and played several top blues festivals.  I have also read every issue of Living Blues and Blues Revue (and Blues Access, before it went under) for 15 years.  First and foremost, I have been a hard-core blues fan for 35 years.  Having said all this, I am far from an expert and all I have to offer are my opinions.  If you disagree or have other ideas, don’t hesitate to blog back.

Most people who follow blues music are aware that blues CD sales are abysmal.  I have read estimates that blues CD sales account for about 1% of the total CD sales.  There are numerous reasons for this, such as: lack of exposure on radio and in the mainstream press, the cultural dumbing down of today’s youth, which drives up the sales of the 'tween superstars, downloading, etc., etc.  Also, fewer people are going to clubs to watch live blues.  Consequently many blues establishments have either closed or are no longer booking touring bands.  Fortunately, the blues festival scene remains strong.

However, in this article I want to focus on the music itself. Perhaps this is the most complicated part of the equation to solve, but it hardly ever gets mentioned as being a cause for the paltry sales of blues music.  I think that if significantly more people believed it was a highly creative art form, then more blues music would be sold, in some manner.  Willie Dixon, Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, Otis Rush Magic Sam, Etta James, Koko Taylor, the three Kings, and the multitude of blues artists that were either contemporaries of these people or influenced them, were true artists.  Robert Johnson’s box set sold millions of copies.  I know Clapton had a hand in bringing Johnson to the masses, but Clapton (like all the Brit blues players) was drawn to the artistry of black blues.  People such as Albert King and Otis Rush also influenced Stevie Ray Vaughn, one of the most successful blues stars of the second half of the 20^th century. In fact, his band - Double Trouble - was named after one of Otis Rush’s most famous and haunting tunes. 

Blues is adult music and grownups will recognize and embrace true greatness.  Many blues rockers were so taken with the guitar work of the blues elite that they tended to emphasize technique over substance. When you listen to the words of a Willie Dixon penned tune you realize that the man was a musical genius.  When you add brilliant, but nuanced instrumentation, a sound is created that will move you to tears, or at least move you to buy it.  Otis Rush is an amazing guitarist, but the sheer power of his early compositions has inspired 50 years of imitations.  When Muddy sings about 40 days and 40 nights, there is a mesmerizing power to his message.  I’m going to write the lyrics to this song so the reader can see the artistry in the writing:

“Forty days and forty nights 
Since my baby left this town 
Sunshinin' all day long 
But the rain keep comin' down 
She's my life I need her so 
Why she left I just don't know 
Forty days and forty nights 
Since I set right down and cried 
Keep rainin' all the time 
But the river is runnin' dry 
Lord help me it just ain't right 
I love that girl with all-a my might 
Forty days and forty nights 
Since my baby broke my heart 
Searchin' for her in a while 
Like a blind man in the dark 
Love can make a poor man rich 
Or break his heart I don't know which 
Forty days and forty nights 
Like a ship out on the sea 
Prayin' for her each night 
That she would come back-a home to me 
Life is love and love is right 
I hope she come back home tonight”

 These days, the emphasis is more on the guitar playing than the vocals or the writing.  This has caused blues music to become highly generic – it is tough to tell one blues band from another.  All the great blues guitarists (who were the featured artist), starting in the early 20^th century and all the way through the 60’s, were also amazing singers.  It was the confluence of technical excellence, vocal brilliance and creative lyric construction that gives blues its power. If you just have one of these things, it can still be enjoyable, but it won’t attract millions of people.

Any field, artistic or scientific, requires some genius to advance.  This is not to the say the rest of us are hacks.  Clapton and SRV are/were not hacks and they have done a tremendous amount to advance blues.  But, as I said, there would be no Clapton or SRV without the true geniuses, and my guess is that both Clapton and SRV would agree with this.  I read a quote where Jack White (of the White Stripes) said that these days’ blues players are just note pushers playing in sports bars.  When I first read this, I got pissed off  - after all – White’s entire style is due to blues.  But, the more I thought about what he said, the more I calmed down.  White too, went back to the original type of rural blues music for his inspiration. It would be great for the blues if more kids discovered the power of this music.

 I think it is safe to say that there are no Willie Dixon’s, no Muddy Waters, no Howlin Wolf’s, no Otis Rush’s (except for the real one who is still with us), etc., who are either well known or in a  state of creative development.  The result is that there are hundreds of competent blues artists, some of whom have worked extremely hard to develop devoted followings, but there are no blues artists to inspire future generations, other than the long dead ones.  This has to have a devastating effect on sales for two reasons: (1) people will buy great music and (2) it is the great artists who inspire other great and successful artists.

Most of the greats started when they were young – in their teens or early twenties.  Today’s young blacks don’t listen to blues and it is very unlikely they will, given what is pushed and the economic realities.  Hence, there may not be much we can do to attract potential blues giants.  But, given that sales are so poor, just maybe we would like to think about this, before we eschew real blues.  The indie blues labels will have you believe that there is no market for traditional blues so they need to release a lot of hybrid type of stuff, with the faintest of hopes it will play on more mainstream radio.  From where I am sitting, it ain’t working well.  Many of these hybrid acts don’t fit in any particular category and are just plain old boring.  The indie labels don’t make the money that the larger labels do and so it is hard for them to take a risk.  Nonetheless, someone has to take a chance if we want to boost blues sales and attract younger fans.  My friends and I were drawn to blues because we saw BB, Albert and Muddy live.  I know lots of kids listen to crap, but enough of them care about good music to notice something that is special. 

Many of the blues greats went into blues because they could make a living doing it.  Commerce is important.  Not many people aspire to be starving artists (unless they are comfortably middle class already).  If a few younger blacks were able to make a living and gain popularity in blues, it would attract others and new talent would eventually emerge.  I may be dreaming, but there really isn’t any other way.  We can’t just keep pining away for the past, and, at the same time support people who are basically rockers who emphasize technique over art.  This will just further erode the sale of blues.

Those who care should look carefully for new talent and get behind it.  I was at a local club the other night at open mic night and a young black woman got up and belted out some blues standards.  She had everyone dancing and applauding.  I asked her how she became interested in authentic blues and she said, “blues is part of my heritage, I’ve always wanted to sing the blues.”  I will put her in my band and try to get some exposure for her locally.  The point is that there are talented young people who want to sing and play blues.  But they need encouragement and support from the bigger blues labels. The better-known blues labels have the ability to break an artist quickly in the blues world.  Instead of waiting 20 years to sign an artist (they wait until the artist is already a well-established road warrior) they should sign talented newcomers, who are playing real blues, as soon as they are discovered.  Then the label should work with booking agencies to get them opening for more established bands.   This will create an environment where just maybe the next Muddy or Koko will materialize. I believe this approach, in the long run, will end up creating more commerce for everyone in the blues, from the larger indie blues labels down to the sports bar legends.

* The Muddy photo is a gift from his estate.  See www.muddywaters.com/photos.html for other excellent photos of Muddy Waters.

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Copyright:  For permission to reprint this article please contact the author at jssrecords@aol.com

An Interview with Blues Woman Fiona Boyes, by Jerry Rosen

Blues music is an indigenous American art form.  It was developed in the early part of the 20^th century by hundreds (maybe thousands) of blacks in the Southern region of the U.S.  People such as Son House, Charlie Patton, Robert Johnson, Memphis Minnie, Blind Lemon Jefferson gave blues the very distinctive sounds that we still associate with it today.  Muddy Waters et.al brought the Southern Blues to the north and amplified it so that the music could be heard in noisy clubs.  Even though Muddy and company rocked out the blues, a bit, it still sounded very much like the old Southern blues.  The Chicago blues of the fifties (as well as blues from other geographic regions such as New Orleans and Texas) also retained direct connections to their origins.

As blues record sales and radio play began to decline in this country, young kids in England started discovering the music. Artists such as the Rolling Stones, Clapton, Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page and so many other Brits, reinvigorated blues music.  The more they rocked it out, the greater the money the record companies, promoters and artists made.  On one hand, they brought blues back into focus, but in doing so changed the very distinctive sound and quality of the music.

These days, some blues labels deal with the paucity of blues sales by releasing CDs that are hybrids of roots and rock.  There is talk that the definition of blues needs to expand.  While there is nothing wrong with some variety, I believe that a CD, which contains no blues music, should not be given the blues label. We need some real blues artists to keep the art form alive.

This is where Fiona Boyes comes in.  As the title of her latest CD proclaims, she is a Blues Woman. Fiona Boyes is an artist who has perfected a sound that is true to the origins of the music.  Her music captures the spirit of blues as good as any contemporary blues musician on the planet.  Blues music began with chants and gospel and Boyes singing style is rooted in these influences.  She is equally adept at playing slide guitar along with rollicking juke-joint instrumentation, belting out a mid temp shuffle or playing a haunting minor groove.  She is a protégé of Hubert Sumlin who has taught her a few “tricks” that he learned when he was young. None other than Pinetop Perkins has given her finger picking work extremely high praise. 

Fiona is from Australia and came to the U.S. in 2003.  Before coming to our shores, Fiona had been playing blues in Australia for 16 years and she released 8 CDs there. Her first stop in the U.S. was Beale Street in Memphis where she represented the Melbourne Blues Appreciation Society.  She competed in and won the Blues Foundation’s International Blues Challenge that year in the Solo Acoustic competition.  Later, in the same year, she returned to the U.S. and played at the W.C. Handy Awards, the Blues Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, the Chicago Blues Festival, New York Rhythm and Blues Festival, the Chicago Blues Festival and Portland’s Waterfront Blues Festival.  Since that time, she has frequently toured the American blues circuit and has appeared with virtually every major blues star in the world.

Her two American CDs were released by Yellow Dog Records (www.yellowdogrecords.com).   Her first CD on YDR was Lucky 13 (released in 06) and the second is Blues Woman (released in 09).  Mark ‘Kaz’ Kazanoff produced both CDs.  Bob Margolin, Marcia Ball and Watermelon Slim make special guest appearances on the discs.  The songs, which are mostly original, were informed by Boyes’ own life experiences channeled through old time blues grooves.  Kazanoff, the engineer and the musicians deserve credit for keeping an ambient feel (it’s almost like listening to vinyl) to the recordings.  The listener has the sensation that they are in same room as the musicians. The two discs have the same basic musical feel, but one can hear a definite progression in both the song writing and Boyes’ playing and singing.  It’s a pleasure to watch an artist honing her craft.  So many blues artists these days release the same (highly competent) CD over and over.  When I discover a new (to me) blues artist, I find that it is rewarding to follow their development.  Song writing is a craft and the artistry in Boyes’ writing, singing and playing is truly palpable.  Finally, if there are any budding blues artists reading this interview, I would strongly urge them to listen to Boyes’ CDs and take a cue from her by going back to the masters to absorb the essence of blues.

Q:  What attracted you to blues and roots music in the first place?

 A: Chart rock & pop music really didn't interest me that much as I was growing up my parents listened to some big band Swing and jazz stuff - which I liked - and when I was in high school I was a fan of an Australian band called 'Captain Matchbox Whoopee Band'. They were an eccentric jug band with lots of Vaudeville touches.  Everything changed when I got to college and a friend introduced me to Blues. It was a revelation!  I loved it from the first listen and something really profound 'fell into place' for me. 

 Q: Who were some of your early influences?

 A: My college friend, Kim Windsor, was really into all sorts of Blues - but early country blues and Delta material in particular.   I loved it immediately and listened avidly to recordings by all the early classic players of the genre - Tommy Johnson, Robert Johnson, Big Bill Broonzy, Rev. Gary Davis, Blind Willie McTell, Mississippi John Hurt - and so many more!  Naturally, I listened to lots of Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf, too - and still do. The earliest local influence for me was a singer/guitarist called 'Dutch' Tilders, who is still playing around my home city of Melbourne,Aust.  He could really do fantastic Big Bill Broonzy style material and was the first person I saw actually play this sort of stuff live...it's one thing to hear a record, another to see an actual musician cranking it out live! 

 Q: Did your career grow gradually, or was there a single event which really helped you get noticed?

 A: What is it they say?  Blues is the sort of genre where you can work really hard for 20 years to become an overnight success!  

Plenty of local bars with sticky carpet are in my past... I was lucky that when I first started playing, there were a lot of local gigs around Melbourne; lots of good opportunities to play and lots of good musicians to listen and learn from. So, it's been a slow, gradual thing.  My aspirations as a player have always been to keep playing, try to improve my musicianship and to get to the next gig.

 Having said that - the pivotal event, for me, was winning the Blues Foundation's International Blues Challenge.  Before that I had not even been to America.  Being a full-time musician, my desire to make a pilgrimage to the 'home of the blues' was tempered by a chronic lack of funds.  Deep thanks go to the Melbourne Blues Appreciation Society, who bought me a ticket to Memphis to represent them at the competition in 2003. Winning the solo/duo category gave me an invaluable platform to network and perform in the US blues scene.

 Q: Are there any individuals who helped you get recognition?

 A: Like most musicians, my playing life is the sum of a thousand small acts of help, mercy and grace.  Even people who 'dissed' me, probably helped by making me more determined to keep playing and to try to get better! 

I've been lucky to get some wider recognition in the last few years - particularly thanks to the incredibly supportive efforts of my husband, manager, booker and best mate Steve 'The Preacher' Clarke.

Kind words from respected players, such as 'Steady Rollin' Bob Margolin, 'Pinetop' Perkins, Hubert Sumlin and others, has helped a lot.  I feel privileged to have had the chance to play with musicians of their caliber, who have such deep links to the history and roots of the music.  I'd also like to acknowledge industry people like Bill Wax from Sirius/XM 'Bluesville' radio and Chip Eagle (Blues Revue magazine)...

 Q: You are an accomplished guitarist in several genres of music.  How did you develop these skills?

 A: Slowly!  With a stack of old records at my side.  As a self-taught guitarist, who started playing in their late 20's, I was keenly aware that I was a 'late-starter'.  The acoustic country blues that I first fell in love with was my starting point.  I think that's why I'm a finger-style player - it never felt comfortable to use a plectrum or thumb pick. 

Maybe it helped that I loved and listened to all sort of Blues styles for many years before I started trying to play myself... 

 After a couple of years of playing acoustic, I got the chance to join a band.  To celebrate, I borrowed an electric guitar, which I had no idea what to do with!  Your role as a guitarist in a band setting is very different from trying to play solo country blues guitar.  Luckily I could sing, so I just played rhythm parts for a while until I felt ready to attempt straight single-string guitar solos.  There were lots of distractions and sidetracks along the way.  I played electric bass on the side for several years, and I was also trying to learn about the industry: how to organize a band, run a PA system, hustle a gig, write songs....

 Q: It is always said that the only way for a blues artist to make money is through touring.  Have you found this to be the case?

 A: This is a tough question....  Touring leads to greater awareness of your act and your music; you are more likely to sell CD's on the road etc.  Generally, unless you are really lucky (!) and get one of your original songs covered by someone really famous and thus make a fortune on royalties, the only way for a musician to make money is to play.  But the current economic situation is making it really tough on touring acts.  I feel really lucky that I'm flexible and keen to make the most of my opportunities.   I'm equally happy playing electric with a band at a rowdy bar - or at an acoustic concert show for a listening audience - and, increasingly, I have been invited to teach at places like 'Fur Peace Ranch'.  Basically, I'll play wherever they let me loose!   

 Q How much of the year do you spend on the road?

 A: At the moment, I have been spending a great deal of time on the road.  This year has been the busiest yet...

I only spent 10 days 'at home' between the beginning of May and the end of August - and by years end, I will have flown back and forth across the Pacific eight times. There has been a bit of transition for me, having moved back to Australia late last year after living full-time in America for two years.  Next year, I am planning to be on the road from my US base during Spring/Summer - and then spend the Northern winter at home in Australia when our local festival season is just beginning

 Q: I noticed that your husband does your management and helps with booking.  Does this arrangement have advantages in terms of communication or anything else?

 A: Steve 'The Preacher' Clarke, has been a one-man cheer squad for me.  He is an extremely interesting character and has a wonderful, lateral way of tackling projects and coming up with new ideas.  I'd never had a partner before that had really been involved with my music and career. In fact, my previous attitude was that working so closely with your spouse sounded potentially unhealthy!  Although it can be difficult at times to balance the personal and professional aspects of your relationship, Steve and I work extremely well together.  He is a fantastic tour manager, too, which I have been coming to appreciate more and more, as I tour alone this year. 

 Steve (who really is an ordained priest, despite his demeanor!) has had the opportunity this year to resume his own professional and academic career.  This is why we decided to relocate back to Australia. I knew in my heart that, sooner or later, Steve would need to start 'doing his own gigs', figuratively speaking. This year has been a bit of a juggle as we adapt to new arrangements. Although he remains very involved in my management, it would be extremely useful now to have additional help with booking etc.  Generally though, our musical, professional and personal lives have been so seamlessly intertwined, I don't see that ever really changing.

 Q: The folks at Yellow Dog Records seemed real responsive. How did you hook up with them?

 A: Mike Powers, from Yellow Dog Records, judges at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, and also takes an active interest in the acts competing each year. I'd been traveling between Australia and the US for a few years, touring and looking at various options, after my win at the 2003 International Blues Challenge in the solo/duo category.

Yellow Dog Records was the first label to offer me a deal that I felt comfortable with. The most important thing is they trusted me musically. With my first US release, 'Lucky 13', and the new 'Blues Woman' album, they let me make the records I wished to make.  Artistic freedom is a real gift to a musician.

Yellow Dog has a very interesting and diverse roster of artists and their supportive attitude is probably why! 

 Q: I was wondering how you and the producer achieved the feel of the recording of Blues Woman.  It has a real old style feel to it…like the old records.  Even playing it in my car’s CD player, it sounded like I was listening to vinyl.

 A: Great!  I have retro sensibilities, but it isn't as easy as trying to make an 'old fashioned' sounding album.  You have to respect that most audiences these days have sophisticated ears.  I can't say enough good things about producer Mark 'Kaz' Kazanoff and engineer Stuart Sullivan (Wire Recording, Austin TX).  These guys have worked together as a team on countless albums.  Kaz is not only a great musician - contributing harmonica, sax and horn arrangements - but he also brings a wealth of experience from his many years producing albums for Black Top, Antones etc.  My Yellow Dog Records debut 'Lucky 13' was recorded with these guys and it was a delight to work on another project together.  Both Stuart & Kaz have some funky tips and techniques up their sleeves for achieving certain sounds and feels! 

 I've learned a great deal from being able to work with them.  Once the musical 'intent' is decided (based on the songs that I bring to the session), choosing the right rhythm section is really important - then most of the recording is pretty much done live and fairly quickly.  I wanted an upright bass on a lot of the songs - bassist Ronnie James Webber and drummer Jimi Bott (who lives in my adopted hometown of Portland, OR) definitely bring that great 'old-school' feel that we were aiming for. 

 Q: What brands of guitar and amp do you use on the road.  Is your recording set-up the same as your road one?

 A: My main instruments are both Australian-built Maton guitars: a dreadnaught-style CW80 acoustic and a solid body 'Mastersound' electric.  The Mastersound, a custom long-scale model, has become my favorite.  It's just great for playing gritty stripped-down blues, like a lot of the material on my new 'Blues Woman' album. On the recording session, I also played a single-cone Beeton Resonator acoustic guitar.  Made by Australian builder Greg Beeton, this beautiful instrument was a surprise wedding present from my fantastic husband, Steve.  (I would have married him anyway, but this confirmed my decision was sound!)   Finally, I often gig and record with the stunning 'Blue Empress' custom Telecaster built for me by Steve White from the Tampa Bay area, FL.  

I'm proud to showcase quality Australian products, so the 'Blue Empress' is fitted with Aussie Chris Kinman's 'Broadcaster' model pick-ups.

 In the studio and on the road, as far as humanly possible, I use one of my Category 5 amps.  Based in Texas, Category 5 designs and builds handcrafted tube amps.  My custom-design 'Tracy' model (named after a famous Aust Category 5 cyclone) is designed to allow me to use it on both Aust & US power.  For more intimate clubs, the beautiful small combo 'Mariah' model amp is my favorite. When I was recording, I brought all my guitars and amps into the studio.  Ideally, I'd love to do the same on the road but it's not always practical!

 If folks are interested - there's photos and info on all my guitars, amps and gear at www.fionaboyes.com ;)

 Q: Do you have any long-term goals?

 A: First of all, I remain true to my initial aims: keep playing, get to the next gig and improve my musicianship... In the long term, I have lots of new ideas for recording projects, collaborations with other musicians and further explorations of blues genres. I really am excited about new possibilities opening up for me - and I would love to play in Europe, as well as continuing to tour and play in the US and Australia. Where ever the music leads me - I hope to see you out there, come and say g'day!

 Copyright: For permission reprint any portion of this article please contact the author at jssrecords@aol.com

 

 

JT Ross, The Harmonica Boss, -By Jerry Rosen

JTRoss the Harmonica Boss has blues and entertainment in his blood. His father, who is a well-known New York City based artist, illustrated album covers for blues legends such as Sonny Boy Williamson, Eric Clapton, Hound Dog Taylor and more and is also responsible for designing the Alligator Records Logo. In appreciation for his father’s creation, Bruce Iglauer (the President of Alligator Records) use to send JT every Alligator release. JT’s mother (a Chicago stage actress) .moved the family to Los Angeles when she landed a TV pilot. JT spent the first 13 years of his life in Chicago, and due to his father’s connections, hung out with blues luminaries such as Howlin’ Wolf, James Cotton and Hound Dog Taylor. In fact, JT’s two first harmonica teachers, when he was a kid, were Cotton and Junior Wells - nothing like learning directly from the masters.

Once on the West Coast with his family, JT honed his harmonica and singing chops. The Southern California region has been a hotbed of exceptional harp masters, starting with George Harmonica Smith and continuing to Rod Piazza, William Clarke and Kim Wilson. Ross cites Cotton and Clarke as two of his primary influences. In fact, many of JT’s sidemen, including the lineup on his “Loaded” CD, played with Clarke. Ross’ CD, which was released on Southside Records, received excellent reviews in all the main blues magazines including Living Blues, Blues Revue, Big City Blues, Southland Blues and many others. The CD was produced by the legendary Jimmy Morello and features John Marx on guitar. Ross is an acknowledged expert on the chromatic and his live shows are high-energy affairs, but he is very respectful of the genre.

I first met JT in 2001 when I was preparing to record the Mary Dukes CD (“Introducing the Divine Ms. Mary Dukes”) on the Southside Records label. I was co-owner of the label at the time and we were looking for a hot harmonica player to blow on a few tunes. South Side Slim brought JT into the studio and, with absolutely no preparation, he blew some amazing riffs on a number of tracks. Some of the biggest compliments I got about the CD were for the harp work. JT joined the Mary Dukes band and we did dozens of gigs with him. But, JT was itching to do his own thing and we encouraged him to start gigging around Southern California. Years later I signed Ross to blow harp on the Kara Maguire CD, “Nobody’s Girl” (released on the Albatross imprint) and, again, his work was stellar. In fact, I had sent the CD to Bruce Iglauer at Alligator and Igauer’s main praise was for the harp work.

JT’s all star band always feature the best guitarists in the blues world including Zack Zunis, Kirk “Eli” Fletcher, Rick Holmstrom, Junior Watson and others. He has played thousands of gigs on the west coast and as appeared at every top blues club on the Coast including Harvelle’s (where he has been a regular for 6 years), The Blue Café, Café Boogaloo and Biscuits N’ Blues, just to name a few. He also toured Eastern Europe and Russia for two months and played in blues clubs and headlined festivals all over that area.JT’s debut CD entitled “Loaded” charted in the top 20 on the Living Blues radio charts and thousands of copies have been sold on the stage, in stores and online. JT is the hardest working local blues guy I know. While so many blues players sit around and lament about not working enough, Ross “lives on the phones,” and works the net like nobody else. Consequently he plays anywhere from three to five times week and makes decent money. This is very impressive, considering the sorry state of the economy. He has the “never –give-up” attitude which is a trademark of the greatest blues players. JT is planning to get signed to a larger blues label and secure a national booking agency. There is no doubt he will succeed. I can assure anyone who is consider signing JT Ross, that they will get a dude who will work around the clock to make any release a success. Some of my most enjoyable gigs have been with JT. He can expertly back up a singer, blow rhythm and solo with the best of them. Furthermore, his vocals are solid and he puts on as good a show as anyone in the business. He is the consummate bluesman.

Q: I’d like to give the reader some idea of what it takes to run a blues band. Can you address some of the following points a) organizing a solid band b)booking gigs c)getting people to your shows d) entertaining crowds e)dealing with club bookers.

Answer

a. I am blessed with the fact that Los Angeles is home to some of the finest musicians in the world. Organizing a band takes patience and as a bandleader my advice to aspiring bandleaders is to be patient with your musicians. Treat them with respect and care as if they were your family members. Be careful in maintaining their respect as leader. If you need more musicians to ad to your roster hit the local JAM nights and scout talent – get numbers and emails.

b. The best thing I can say to bands who are trying to earn a living playing in small clubs and bars is to get rehearsed, get tight, record a CD, print up a few hundred copies (make them look professional) and start getting gigs.Leave no stone unturned. Call the club and/or bar in your neighborhood (which has live music) and insist that you have a band, which would be perfect for their room, ask them to give you a chance, and promise that you wont let them down. Be adamant about meeting the booker in person and dress to impress and bring your CD when you do. If they wont arrange to meet you – get the names (and keep notes of when you called) of bartenders, bookers, managers, owners or whoever else might be responsible for booking your band. Give them your website and make sure you have current photos, sound files and some form of press, bio or copy on your website/facebook/myspace . Then follow up by calling once a week. Don’t give up.

c. With the assistance of today’s social networking tools like Facebook and Twitter – promotions are less burdensome. Where as I used to print thousands of cardboard color flyers (which is environmentally unsound and against my moral principals) I now print almost NONE except for very special occasions. I do put up promotional posters, which are hung at the clubs weeks prior to the performance. Bring an email list to your performance and push it as hard as you push your CD. Get those emails and feed them into your Facebook & Twitter etc. . . Keep your fans posted with updates etc. . .

d. make sure to get a contract and “get it in writing”. Spread the word and get people to your shows – let’s face it, bars & nightclubs are in business to earn money by selling liquor - so no matter how good your band is . . . unless people are drinking as well as having a blast listening to your live music - you’re not doing your job. Each club is different just learn from each experience and keep a journal of do’s and don’ts at each venue.

Q: I mentioned that you have worked with some of the greatest blues guitarists (including Marx, Zunis, Fletcher, Holmstrom, Watson and others). How does an excellent guitarist add to your show? What are some the similarities and differences between these guys?

ANSWER

Southern California is home to some of the finest Blues Guitarists in the world and each of the top guns brings a unique flavor to my live performances. Without the backing and knowhow of these musicians I am just another blues harp player on the scene. The players you’ve mentioned above are (to me) the best for backing my style of Chicago Blues Harmonica, which incorporates elements of jazz, west coast jump and swing. Having been hand reared on Little Walter and Junior Wells I know what these guys should be playing - and trust me they’re playing it all, and then some. My LA fans sorely miss Zack Zunis since he’s moved back east, but Zack still does a few So-Cal dates with his old friend Janiva Magness. When Rick Holmstrom’s not touring with Mavis Staples he often will take gigs with my band (it helps that we’re neighbors here in Venice Beach CA). Junior Watson is a wildman and has the stage energy of a 13 year old hopped up on red bull. Kirk Fletcher is absolutely amazing and one of the nicest human beings you will ever meet.

Q: What is it about blues music that has caused you to devote your life to playing it?

ANSWER

The blues bug bit me at a very early age and I feel strongly about carrying the authentic blues tradition forth. Making these blues my personal contribution to the humanities is my life goal. I am always seeking new ways to expose younger audiences to this amazing music. Blues is a truly rich American art form, which must be cherished and preserved as a national pastime.

Q: Can you cite some of your influences?

ANSWER

To name just a few. . . Little Walter, Junior Wells, George Papa Lightfoot, Jimmy Reed, T Bone Walker, Buddy Scott, Sonny Boy Williamson, Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, Buddy Guy, George Harmonica Smith, Big Wallter Horton, William Clarke, Big Mamma Thornton, Freddie King, BB King, Albert King, Hound Dog Taylor, Paul Butterfield, Magic Sam, Lowell Fulsom, Otis Rush, JB Hutto, Robert Nighthawk and a thousands more of America’s (virtually unknown) musical geniuses.

Q: Can you tell the reader a little bit about your family’s involvement in the “business?” What effect has this had on you as a person and as a musician?

ANSWER

Growing up in a “showbiz” family has both helped and hurt. One could say a bit jaded as a result. On the bright side it has humbled me to the fact that the big time isn’t always where it’s at and oftentimes blues dive bar gigs are a lot more fun than some of those uptight corporate Hollywood gigs.

Q: How did you find the experience of being produced by Jimmy Morello and working with first class musicians on your CD “Loaded?”

ANSWER

Jimmy was awesome and really helped the project take form and materialize. Although we argued on some arrangements ultimately we worked things out so the CD would benefit musically. The world-class musicians Jimmy & I hired for the LOADED sessions are all LA based players who brought their many years of studio experience to the project which helped immensely.

Q: Can you talk about your experience touring Europe? How did the fans there react to your music?

ANSWER

European fans are stellar and always buy CD’s at the shows. They keenly pay attention to every single solitary word I sing. I’ve experienced countless diehard blues fans in the Czech Republic and Russia. I heard (and later had a few shots of chilled vodka with) several Romanian Jazz and Blues musicians in Kiev at a festival after party. I was blown away by their authentic retro sound and attention to detail. I cannot wait to go back to play in Prague it is such a beautiful city.

Q: What advice would you have for a person who wants to start playing professionally in the blues world?

ANSWER

Practice as much as you possibly can. Find like-minded players and JAM whenever you can. Listen to as much old school blues as you can get your hands on. Keep practicing and recording whenever you can. Find a local blues mentor/teacher (preferably a working professional musician) and learn all you can from them directly. Once you get good enough, ask to sit in with their band and build from there.

Q: What are your opinions on the current state of the blues?

ANSWER

The blues is [and always will be] America’s purest art form. I steer away from terms like “Keep the blues alive” since it implies that the blues is dying. The blues is alive and well – the Blues are everywhere and continue to be incorporated into most all [modern] pop, rap and R&B music. So, I’d say “current state” of the blues is quite alright – wouldn’t you ?

Q: What is the next step for JT Ross?

A brand new CD comprised of all original material to be produced by a blues luminary TBA.

For current updates find me @

www.harmonicaboss.com

Or follow me on Twitter @ www.twitter.com/harmonicaboss

Copyright: The content of this article belongs to Jerry Rosen. To purchaes a copy of it please email jssrecords@aol.com

An Interview With Candye Kane, Super Hero - By Jerry Rosen

Candye Kane is a blues “lifer.”  Ms. Kane has spent about twenty years as a professional touring/recording blues artist.  She has 10 CDs and has established an excellent international reputation.  In 2008, she was nominated for the National Blues Foundation Award for Best Blues Contemporary Female.  She was raised, musically, in the East Los Angeles area having played in the eighties with Social Distortion, Dave Alvin, the Blasters, X, Los Lobos and other East Side bands.  Her latest CD, Super Hero, on the Delta Groove label, debuted at #10 on the Billboard blues chart, which is a big deal for a blues release.  If you buy just one blues CD this year, you owe it to yourself to get Super Hero.  I have listened to this disc many times and it is an exceptional record. 

 One thing I don’t like about some contemporary blues CDs is that the song is secondary to the soloing.  Many blues CDs have over- the-top guitar and/or harmonica soloing and the vocals are just there to fill up space.  What made blues music so great, at its inception and throughout the fifties and sixties, is the heartfelt singing and the actual lyrics that spoke to the difficulties faced by the singers.  Ms. Kane is a serious artist who puts the songs front and center.  The lyrics have meaning; some are sad, some uplifting, and others are funny.  Furthermore, the musicians are there to support the songs and they do so with reverence for the genre.  Finally, Ms. Kane has a very distinctive vocal style.  Her singing is somehow both tough and sweet at the same time.  I know this sounds a bit contradictory, but you really have to hear it because my limited prose ability can’t do justice to her style.  Many blues singers have sort of an affected style; Ms. Kane has her own style.  In summary, this disc is a joy from start to finish.

 One highlight of the disc is the guitar work of Laura Chavez.  Ms. Chavez is a young guitarist who co-produced the CD with Ms. Kane, and is Ms. Kane’s regular guitarist.  I’m a hard-core blues type and I was blown away by Ms. Chavez’s work.  She is quite effective at supporting the vocals with chords and riffs and she plays with real taste and style.  Her soloing adds texture to the songs.  I read an interview with Jack White (of the rock group the White Stripes) where he takes a poke at blues bands by saying that most blues players are “note pushers” who only play in sports bars.  I won’t argue with this (having played in my share of sports bars, pushing notes), however, Ms. Chavez is no note pusher.  She respects the genre and plays with restraint and originality.  Her playing adds to the excellence of this release.  She definitely deserves to be recognized for her work and is a strong role model for any budding young blues/roots guitarist.  I learned a lot by listening to her.

 Ms. Kane is a survivor of pancreatic cancer.  This form of cancer is often a death sentence and most don’t survive.  She was diagnosed with the disease in February 2008 and, a year later, she was pronounced cancer free.  A number of songs on the Super Hero CD obviously reflect her positive attitude towards life and her upbeat outlook will help others.  This summer she has been on tour in Europe with her charity United By Blues Music.  She talks about this endeavor in the interview below.  I found her answers to my questions to be frank and informative.  She clearly spells out the problems faced by blues music and by blues musicians.  For more information see http://www.myspace.com/candyekaneband.com

Q: First off, let me congratulate you on the success of your new Super Hero CD.  It is a dynamite disc.  Can you tell us about the recent chart success you had with the CD?  Also, explain to the reader why this is significant for a blues release.

 A: This is my tenth CD and my first for Delta Groove. It debuted at #10 on the billboard blues chart and stayed there for three weeks. It is an awesome thing to know that DJS are playing the disc and enjoying it. It increases the downloads on it and makes everyone more money. It calls attention to the existence of the recording and hopefully piques interest and makes people buy the CD. It’s exciting because blues music is so often marginalized. You have to search to even find the blues charts in billboard magazine or online. The blues is not a mainstream music so it’s exciting when somebody out there is playing it on the air or on the Internet. I feel that we blues lovers have a responsibility to expose others to this music we love. Blues is such specialty music that you must be introduced to it by a friend or family member or perhaps you stumbles across it by accident at a music festival or bar. Most people don’t know what blues is and the line is constantly being blurred between blues and rock. So I am thrilled that a pretty much straight ahead blues record is getting attention. I think we really need to make sure that young people embrace and are educated about blues music. So make a CD of your favorites today and give it to a child or teenager. Explain how Jimi Hendrix, The Beatles and many other huge stars were and are influenced by blues.  And maybe we can keep the torch going for another generation.

 Q: How is your current European tour going? High points? Low points?

 A: I am on tour now with my charity, www.unitedbymusic.eu  I am the music director and co –founder of UBM with Joris Wijngaarden. UBM is a wonderful project. I teach young people with disabilities about blues music and how blues music was born of severe oppression. You can read my blogs about it on Facebook and Myspace. I recently wrote a blog called “The Parallels between blues and people with disabilities.”

We just appeared in Dublin at the World Down Syndrome Conference. We featured two very talented down syndrome performers in our show. Sujeet Desai www.sujeet.com or Buffalo Ny played clarinet, sax and piano with our group. Haley Rehbock of Capetown South Africa was our co-emcee. In UBM, I teach disabled people how to write songs and find songs that give them strength to overcome their daily challenges. My positive affirmation songs are a good example of this practice. We audition people from all over the world and give them a chance to perform onstage with a big American blues band. It’s the most rewarding project I am involved in. I don’t sell many CDs or tee shirts here but I am so rewarded by the enthusiasm, sheer joy and growth of our UBM performers. Its amazing to witness native Dutch speakers singing and speaking a second language, English. It makes you wonder who really is the so-called normal person and how do you really judge or gauge intelligence.

 Q: People sometimes say that touring in Europe is more rewarding than the states.  Do you find this to be true?  Are there any differences?

 A: The main difference is that here in Europe, young people are allowed in bars. It is the biggest mistake in the USA that you cannot go to a bar to attend a music show with your parents if you are under 21.  I had a friend from Europe, a big blues fan, recently visit the USA with his 17 year old son and daughter. He went on a tour of the south and visited New Orleans, Memphis, Austin and Clarksdale. He was shocked and disappointed that his children could not attend any live music shows, even with their own father as a chaperone. We need to change the laws in the states so that parents can bring their underage children to bars to be exposed to live music, especially blues. The reason why the blues demographic is getting older and greyer is because of our punitive bar laws. Children are not exposed to the possibility of playing live music at a smaller level. They see American Idol or people like The Jonas Brothers and Brittany Spears on TV and they think that is the only way to make music. They rarely, if ever, stumble across blues and jazz before the age of 21 unless they are lucky enough to have blues and jazz music lovers as parents. In Europe, music and the arts are valued as essential parts of the culture. The arts are not marginalized here. Seeing live music is a family experience – not a luxury, a necessity.  I wish it were that way in the USA.

 Q: I notice you are on Delta Groove – which is a newer label that seems to be promoting their artists fairly hard.  Can you speak a bit about the label and what they have done for your career?

 A: Delta Groove Records is amazing. They do a wonderful job there and are just completely focused and hard working. The founder, Randy Chortkoff, being a musician himself, is so dedicated to the blues and to his artists. I have never been in such a supportive label environment. I am very lucky to be on their label.

Q: I have been following you on Facebook and it seems that you have been quite busy throughout the summer.  Is this a better time for touring? 

 A: The summer is always the best time for tours because of the weather and all the festivals.

Q: I found that some of the songs on your CD are somewhat personal.  Have some of these tracks been influenced by your recent health issues?  What type of message are you trying to get across to the public about fighting cancer?

A: Well, yes, Super Hero is very personal. The song itself, and several others on the CD are about my cancer fight. I wrote the liner notes about my struggle also and how lucky I am to be here. Pancreatic cancer is very deadly and people die sometimes within three months of diagnosis. I feel obligated to speak openly and candidly about my cancer struggle at my shows. I know I am a miracle. The fact that I was able to beat down pancreatic cancer is very inspiring to so many. My shows have become somewhat of a heal-a-thon where people come up afterwards and share their heartbreaking and sometimes inspiring stories of losses and triumphs over cancer. I cry a lot at these moments but am so grateful for the chance to tell my story. I am humbled when people feel so close to me that they share such deeply personal stories of loss and heartache. I feel like a healer. The songs have always been positive and personal but now more than ever, I think people want to hear my positive words and songs and are more open to the message.

 

Q: What is your opinion about the current state of the blues – is it harder to lead a blues band?  Is roadwork more or less difficult now than in the past? What are some of the differences?

 A: Well, again, as I said prior, the bar age in the USA is helping to grind live music venues and opportunities to a screeching halt. And as we become a more health conscious nation and the government talks about raising taxes on everything from obesity, junk food, soda pop, to beer and alcohol, this will have a long term, devastating effect on bar owners who are already suffering from a bad economy, stricter drunk driving laws, more stringent songwriter taxes (such as BMI, Sesac and Ascap.)

Bar owners hire DJs because they are cheaper to manage and you only have one ego to deal with instead of five musician egos. You can see the decline of live music when there is a line around the block to get into the disco and only fifty middle aged people in the blues bar next door. We desperately need to find a way to interest our youth in live music. The Internet has changed the way we experience music as well. Most youngsters’ first exposure to music is thru technology such as the Internet. They may never even see a live band until they are drinking age. And the internet makes it possible for any hack musician wanna be to make a professional looking CD product and flood the market with more mediocre music. Many of these home studio musicians and songwriters have no desire or resources to get a show on the road but their CD is on the desk next to the road bands who need to do this work to survive. It has become more competitive and more dire than ever. Very few bands are able to consistently tour unless they have a very good agent, a very good reputation and a source of income besides just the shows. I also see more hands out to get a piece of my income, from the guy making the t-shirts to the bars and festivals that charge an artist as much as 25% to sell their own merchandise. I recently played a club where they took 20% of my merchandise sales. That 20% would have paid for our hotel rooms that night, but instead it went to the club along with the cover charge and the bar and food sales. We were paid but we only have merchandise to sell in order to make ends meet. In the past, it was unheard of for a small club to take a cut of your merch but times are tough and everyone is cutting back. Again, this all goes back to the culture and our American view that music and the arts are luxuries. As long as this attitude is widespread and pervasive, it will have a negative impact on those who play live music to survive and those who present live music in their venues. The government also shows live music venues very little value or respect with the open harassment many bar owners deal with – crazy insurance rates, Alcohol enforcement, smoking fines etc. I am scared for the state of live music unless somehow, we can change the bar age restrictions and let young people in with their parents. Add to these already serious problems, the reality of free downloading of music and you have a lot of areas where we musicians used to be able to make a buck and cannot anymore. I used to be able to play a big festival and sell tons of product. Now at many festivals, there is already a record store there with a booth and they have stocked all my titles. I will still sit there and sign CDs because I want small record stores to thrive and prosper but its one more competitor for me and one less way for me to make money on the road. The free downloads of our CD, and CD burning also effects my songwriter royalty statements and all around, the money supply is dwindling or there are more people taking a cut. It’s a bit crazy.

 Q: Can you speak a little about running a band?  What are some of the issues that you have to deal with as a bandleader of a touring/recording band?

 A: I do the job of a road manager, tour director, driver and sometimes baby sitter. We all share roles like driver, merchandise handler, mechanic. Technology has made things a bit easier. Having a GPS, having XM radio, a laptop with wireless and having a cell phone helps a lot on the road and keeps my business going while I travel. I remember the days of searching for a pay phone to call my kids at home so the cell phone has really made life better.  Websites like price line and hotels.com have changed my business too. We can stay in a nice hotel usually for the same price as the motel 6 or Econo Lodge so that helps everyone’s morale on the road. Sometimes being a bandleader is a bit like being a babysitter. You have to deal with alcohol and drug abuse from players and you have to be willing to fire people that you may really love but cannot work with when they are inebriated. You are like a family on the road but of course all of us know family members get on each other’s nerves. Its hard for me post cancer, to always find the healthy food I need so that is also a challenge out here. I just do my best.

 Q: I see that Laura Chavez played guitar on most of your tracks.  I found her work to be excellent and she seems to be well informed about the blues greats of the past.  You deserve to be commended for giving a newer talent a chance to shine.  How did you meet Laura?  Is she touring with you now?  What is your opinion of her playing?

 A: Yes. Laura is with me now and she is my best friend. She has been playing with me for over a year and a half and it was great to co-produce our new CD, Super hero together and write songs together. We hope to do more producing and songwriting together for other artists. We are constantly together and we have a great time on and off the bandstand. I am so lucky to have her and every night, playing next to her is just a thrill. She is so humble and plays from her heart with such emotion. I find my face hurts after a show because I have been smiling so much at her every lick. I feel lucky to have found someone who I click with on so many levels. I have Sue Foley to thank for telling me about Laura. Sue called me when my last guitarist, Heine Andersen quit and told me that Laura would be perfect for me. Sue has always been my favorite female guitarist and she knows I love simplicity in style and old school jump blues and swing. Laura never overplays and is always expressive and tasteful. And when we met, we realized we shared the same macabre tastes in skeletons, day of the dead, cemeteries and Tim Burton and Charles Bukowski. Laura also volunteers in hospitals and has worked a lot with sick children so she has a lot of heart and compassion when it comes to illness. She stood by me while I had cancer and is often the first to notice when I am ill or am having digestive issues. We take care of each other.  I was so happy when Vintage Guitar magazine said about her “she’s not a rising star, she’s already arrived!” I thought that was really cool.

 I am proud to feature Laura and don’t feel a need to be commended for that. I think all of us need to find a way to pull up the next generation of blues artists. Laura is just 27 and I recently had UK singer/songwriter Dani Wilde, who is 24 on some of my East Coast tour dates. I am honored to expose these amazing young women to new audiences. I feel a strong feminist alliance with other women in music and have always made it my mission to promote female talent as much as possible because I see the shortage of female instrumentalists. There is room for all of us to be successful and make music. The more we are inclusive and kind to others, the more good karma we create for ourselves. Plus I am constantly inspired and educated by surrounding myself with younger musicians. My son Evan Caleb is my drummer. He is 28 and he and Laura hang out together often. I learn about new music from them because I have a tendency to listen to music between 1920 and 1970. They know so much more about modern bands and they keep me in the loop about new bands and such.

 

 

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